How to send the same email to multiple recipients separately?

Sending to multiple people at once can save you time and get your message out fast, but you have to do it right. Sending to multiple people separately keeps it personal and private for each person.

This way it feels more direct and avoids the common mistake of sending everyone’s email addresses to each other which is unprofessional.

In this guide we’ll show you how to send to multiple people without making it look like a mass email. We’ll cover simple steps for using BCC, setting up mail merges and using email tools that allow for easy personalization.

Whether you use Outlook, Gmail or another platform this article will show you the tips and tricks to keep your group emails private, professional and effective.

Why sending the same email to multiple people separately matters

Sending emails individually to multiple people is about more than just convenience – it’s about respecting privacy, professionalism and increasing the chances your message is read and appreciated.

Privacy

When you send a mass email without hiding the recipients, everyone can see each other’s email addresses. This can lead to privacy concerns especially in professional settings where 79% of people prefer their email addresses to be private in group communications.

By sending separately you keep each person’s email private, showing you respect for their information and avoiding potential legal issues with privacy regulations.

Are there legal implications for sending mass emails?

Yes, you need recipient consent and an unsubscribe link to comply with CAN-SPA. These are not possible when you're sending mass emails frequently using just Outlook or Gmail. In these cases, you'll need a third-party tool for your email marketing efforts.

When sending mass emails, there are essential legal guidelines to consider under the CAN-SPAM Act, which enforces standards for commercial messages in the U.S. Here are the key rules:

1. Recipient consent: You must obtain explicit consent from recipients before sending them marketing emails. This is usually achieved through an opt-in process on websites or through clear consent methods like signup forms.
2. Clear unsubscribe option: Every email must include a straightforward unsubscribe link, allowing recipients to opt out from future messages easily. Failure to comply can lead to legal penalties.
3. Honest information: Your “From,” “To,” and “Reply-To” fields must accurately represent your business, and your subject lines must reflect the content truthfully.

Following these guidelines protects your business from legal issues and improves email engagement by targeting genuinely interested subscribers.

Professionalism

Individual emails feel more thoughtful and intentional. Personalized emails have a 26% higher open rate and 760% more revenue than non-personalized emails.

Instead of looking like a blanket message, separate emails make the recipient feel like you’re talking to them directly which can increase the chances of a positive response.

This personal touch makes your email look more like a one-on-one conversation than a mass announcement especially when targeting clients, employees or partners.

Deliverability and engagement

Sending one email to a large group can sometimes trigger spam filters especially if the recipients don’t know each other. Separate emails reduce this risk and make your message more likely to land in the main inbox.

Also, emails marked as spam have higher chance of never being opened by the intended recipient, even if you optimize for the best opening lines. By sending separate more personalized emails you increase the chances of reaching your recipients effectively and get better engagement.

How to send to multiple people in Outlook

Sending to multiple people in Outlook without compromising privacy can be done in a few ways, each for different needs. Here we’ll walk you through the steps for using BCC and mail merge in Outlook to send separate emails with a personal touch.

Using the BCC method in Outlook

Using the BCC field in Outlook allows you to send to multiple people while keeping each person’s email address private from the others. Here’s how:

1. Write your email: Start a new email in Outlook, write your message in the body and add a relevant subject line.

2. Add recipients in the BCC field: Click “BCC” next to the “To” field, then add the email addresses of everyone you want to send to. Leave the “To” field blank or add your own email address to show it’s from you.

3. Send: Review and hit send. Each recipient will get the email without seeing who else got it.

BCC is private but it’s best for smaller lists as too many BCC recipients can trigger spam filters.

Mail merge with Outlook

For more personalized emails Outlook’s mail merge is the way to go. It allows you to send individualized emails with recipient specific details. Follow these steps:

1. Set up your contact list: Create an Excel spreadsheet with columns like “First Name”, “Last Name” and “Email Address”. Each row should be a different person.
2. Write your email in Microsoft Word: Go to “Mailings” > “Start Mail Merge” > “E-Mail Messages” to begin. Write your email here using placeholders for personalized details (like <<First Name>>).
3. Link Outlook to your contact list: Select “Select Recipients” > “Use an Existing List,” and choose your Excel file. Word will ask you to match your fields (like email addresses and names).
4. Preview and send: Preview each email to make sure personalization is correct then click “Finish & Merge” > “Send E-Mail Messages.”

This way you get true personalization and your emails will feel targeted to each person.

How to send to multiple people in Gmail

Gmail has BCC and mail merge options to send the same email to multiple people individually. These methods allow you to keep it private and add a personal touch even when sending to large groups.

Using the BCC method in Gmail

The BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) feature in Gmail is a quick way to send an email to multiple people without showing each person’s email address to others. Here’s how:

1. Start a new email: Open Gmail, click “Compose,” and write your message in the body.
2. Add recipients in the BCC field: In the “To” field add your own email address. Then click “BCC” below it and add all the email addresses you want to send to.
3. Send: Review and hit send. Each recipient will get the email without seeing the others.

BCC is good for smaller groups but keep in mind Gmail limits the number of BCC recipients per message so it won’t work for very large lists.

Google sheets mail merge with Gmail

For larger email lists or personalized messages a mail merge with Google Sheets is the way to go. This will allow you to send customized emails to each person using fields like name or company.

1. Create a contact list in Google Sheets: Open a new Google Sheet and list your recipients. Use column headers like “First Name”, “Last Name” and “Email Address”.
2. Install a mail merge add-on: In Google Sheets go to “Add-ons” > “Get add-ons” and search for a mail merge tool, like “Yet Another Mail Merge” (YAMM).
3. Draft your email in Gmail: Write your email and save it as a draft. Use placeholders (e.g. {{First Name}}) for personalization.
4. Run the merge: Go back to Google Sheets, open your mail merge add-on and follow the prompts to select your email draft and map the fields (like name or company). Click “Send” to merge.

This is great for sending to large lists and keeping each email unique and personalized. It’s also useful if you want to track opens or responses.

Personalizing group emails for better engagement

When sending the same email to multiple people, adding a personal touch makes your message stand out. Personalized emails feel more relevant to the reader so they’re more likely to engage with your content.

Personalized email templates

Start by creating a basic email template that you can customize for each person. Use placeholders for details like the person’s name, company or other personal info. This will make the email feel like it was written to them. For example instead of “Hello” try “Hello, {{First Name}}”.

Personalizing an email doesn’t have to be hard. Emails with the person’s name in the subject line can increase open rates by a lot so simple changes like these show you’ve put thought into your email so it’s more likely to be read.

Using variable data fields for customization

Most email tools, including Outlook and Gmail’s mail merge features, allow you to add variable data fields for personalization. With these you can automatically insert specific details (like first names or company names) for each person.

Just add the placeholder text where you want the personalization to appear, like “Hi, {{First Name}}, I hope you’re doing well!”

This way you can deliver the same message to everyone while still personalizing each email. By spending a few minutes setting up the data fields you’ll make each email more engaging and relevant.

Testing and refining your templates

Before sending to multiple people, test your templates to make sure the placeholders work. Use the preview options to see what the email looks like with real data. Testing will help you catch errors like missing names or blank fields so your email looks professional and not sloppy.

Once you’ve tested, refine as needed. Small changes can make a big difference in how your message is received. With a tested and personalized template you’ll be able to connect with each person better.

BCC alternatives for group emails

While BCC is easy to use to send an email to multiple people, it has its limitations especially for larger lists or highly personalized messages. Alternatives like email automation tools and third-party software can offer better personalization, tracking and deliverability options.

Using third-party email tools for personalized group emails

Third-party email tools like MailMaestro are designed to help you draft great emails and allow you to save email templates for faster, more efficient email workflows. With MailMaestro you can create and save templates for common email types so you can customize and send to multiple people without having to write each one manually.

It helps you streamline the email writing process and by using saved templates you’ll make sure your emails are well written and professional and save time on repetitive drafting.

Benefits of professional outreach email services

Dedicated email services have several advantages over BCC emails. They’ll help you avoid spam filters as these platforms are designed to optimize email deliverability. Services like MailMaestro also have customizable templates so you can maintain brand consistency and professionalism in your messages.

Another big benefit of some email tools is A/B testing, so you can test different email versions and improve performance based on data. By using a dedicated email service you have more control over the look and impact of your emails which is especially valuable for business and marketing communications.

When to use alternatives to BCC

While BCC is fine for small lists or one off emails, it has limitations when you need high engagement or personalization. If you’re sending to more than 20 people or if the message has important information that needs to be personalized then a third-party tool is a better choice.

Using BCC for large lists will increase the chances of emails going to spam so dedicated tools are a better option for mass audience. By choosing the right method you can improve deliverability, engagement and professionalism in your email campaigns.

Group email tips

To get the most out of sending group emails you need a clear strategy. Follow these best practices to create great, well received emails that get results whether you’re sending to clients or a broader audience.

Define your email goals

Before you write your message take time to clarify what you want to achieve. Are you informing, persuading or asking for information? Defining your goal will help your email be focused and provide value to the recipient.

For example if you’re emailing a group about an event your goal might be to get RSVPs or provide event details so you can tailor your content.

Comply with email regulations

When sending group emails you need to follow email regulations like CAN-SPAM in the US or GDPR in the EU. These rules require transparency like including an unsubscribe link and making sure the recipient has consented to receive your emails.

Not complying can result in penalties and damage to your sender reputation. Compliant emails tend to have higher deliverability as they’re seen as more trustworthy by email providers.

Monitor your results

After you send your email it’s good to track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates and responses. This data will help you know how well your email performed and what to improve.

If using a third-party tool you may have access to detailed analytics to see recipient engagement. Analyze these results to refine future emails and build a better communication strategy.

Group email mistakes to avoid

Sending group emails requires attention to detail to get your message right. Avoid these common mistakes to keep your emails professional, effective and technical issue free.

Don’t overuse BCC

Using BCC for group emails is convenient but overusing it will make your email seem impersonal or even spammy. Email providers will flag emails with large BCC lists as spam which will reduce the chances of them landing in the inbox.

If you have more than 20 recipients consider using a mail merge or a third-party tool to personalize the emails.

Check personalization fields

Personalized emails are great—until something goes wrong with the data. Mistakes like missing names or placeholder text left unchanged will make your email look unprofessional.

Before you send always test your email to make sure all fields are populated correctly. This small step will ensure each recipient gets a message that looks intentional and professional.

Give them an easy way to opt-out

For group emails especially marketing or update emails you need to give recipients an option to unsubscribe. Including an unsubscribe link not only complies with email regulations but also shows you respect the recipient’s preferences.

Emails without a clear way to opt out will be flagged as spam which can damage your sender reputation and limit your future deliverability.

Avoid these mistakes and you’ll keep a good impression with your audience and your group emails will be both effective and respectful to the recipient’s needs.

Final words

Sending the same email to multiple recipients while keeping it personal and private can make your communication so much more effective. By using BCC, mail merge and email tools like an AI email assistant you can make each email private, professional and engaging.

Follow the tips in this guide—from email tools to personalization to common mistakes to avoid— and you’ll be a group email master for any occasion. As you do you’ll find it’s easier to reach multiple recipients without sacrificing quality or privacy.

Now go ahead and try it out. Start improving your email today by trying out the tools and tips above and see your emails become more effective and well received.

FAQs

How do I send an email to multiple people without them seeing each other’s email addresses?

Use the BCC field. This will hide the recipients’ email addresses from each other.

What’s the difference between CC and BCC?

CC shows all recipients’ email addresses; BCC hides them, keeps recipients private.

Can I personalize emails when sending to multiple recipients?

Yes, use mail merge in Word with Outlook or Google Sheets with Gmail for personalization.

Are there limits to how many recipients I can add in BCC?

Yes, most email providers have limits on BCC. Gmail has a limit of 500 per day for regular accounts.

Can I track who opened my group email?

Only with third-party tools, as Gmail and Outlook don’t have tracking.